Our Mission: To provide quality healthcare and education to those with limited access to such services in an environment which respects the dignity of each person.

San José Clinic, the original safety-net clinic in Houston, has steadfastly grown into a leading provider of quality healthcare services for individuals and families in the Greater Houston area who struggle the most with accessing care. The Clinic began with the vision of Monsignor Walsh, a donation of $50 from the Charity Guild of Catholic Women and volunteers from the community, who all came together with the same hope of breaking down barriers to healthcare for the underserved. More than ninety years later, we proudly uphold the legacy of our founders by continuing to provide healthcare for those who need a health home the most, including primary and specialty medical and dental care as well as vision, laboratory and pharmacy services.

JUX Timeline

In 1922, responding to the rising rate of infant mortality in the Mexican community of Houston, Monsignor George T. Walsh of Annunciation Catholic Church appeals to the Charity Guild of Catholic Women to establish a free clinic to serve the health needs of the poor. “Clinica Gratuita” is founded, offering treatment of the skin, eye, nose and throat, dental, pre-natal care and free eyeglasses.

By 1932, infant mortality in Houston has decreased by 65% among the Mexican population. In the first 10 months of the year, the Clinic provides services for over 13,000 patients with a monthly budget of $500 and a paid staff of three.

In the 1940s, services are expanded to meet the ever-increasing needs of the community. The Clinic is now handling over 1,200 patients per month, providing the essentials such as baby food and eyeglasses to those most in need, and offering preventative healthcare and education to families.
The Houston Chronicle extols the accomplishments of the Clinic, “How the Clinic does so much on such a small amount of money is the result of a practical group of women who manage the Clinic so efficiently.”

From January 1954 - March 1956, San José Clinic is housed in two connecting apartments at 1919 Runnels while their new facility was under construction. The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word assume administration of the Clinic.

In 1956, with a generous donation from the Scanlan Foundation, San José Clinic relocated to land owned by the Galveston-Houston Diocese at 301 Hamilton. This new facility of over 4,600 square feet provides space for added gynecological and surgical services. San José Clinic would call this location home for 56 years.

By 1960, San José Clinic is handling over 30,000 patient visits each year. As demand for services and patient numbers increase, the Clinic undergoes extensive renovation to double the facility size, thanks to a $100,000 gift from the Scanlan Foundation. San José Clinic begins offering dermatology, podiatry, diabetes care, and mental health programs. Some of these programs are part of collaborative agreements with Houston’s medical institutions.

In the 1970s, many academic and collaborative relationships are formed between the Clinic and groups throughout the community, including the Dominican School of Nursing, University of Texas – Houston Medical School Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Dental Branch, St. Elizabeth Hospital and University of Texas – Houston Health Science Center.

By 1981, the number of children served at San José Clinic has doubled since 1965 to over 6,000 annually. The Well Baby Clinic staffed by doctors from the University of Texas-Houston Medical School Department of Pediatrics offers complete physical exams.
In this era, long before endowments became popular, the Charity Guild of Catholic Women establishes a trust for San José Clinic. At the time, this donation of over $50,000 annually helps fund pediatric services.

On August 16, 2002, the San José Clinic eye clinic is renamed the “Socorro Rouse Memorial Eye Clinic” to honor Ms. Rouse, LVN. Ms. Rouse tragically passed away in a hit-and-run accident on her way to work at the Clinic.

In 2006, the Clinic began a strategic plan to include expansion to a larger facility. Within six months, through a generous gift from the CHRISTUS Foundation for HealthCare at the request of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, planning for a new building is underway.

The Clinic relocates to the John S. Dunn/W.T. & Louise J Moran Family Health Center to meet the growing needs of the community.

The 55,000 square foot 3-story building is a collaboration with the CHRISTUS Foundation for HealthCare and Catholic Charities. The new site is within close proximity of downtown, easily accessible from the MetroRail and bus lines, and is closer to the Texas Medical Center – home of many Clinic partners and collaborators.

From just 15 partnerships in 2005, the Clinic partners with over 40 groups by 2012. Nearly 800 volunteers give of their time at the Clinic – an increase of over 350% from 2005.

In 2013, through partnerships and grant funding, the Clinic meets the longstanding need of expanding primary care, resulting in a full-time, contract primary care physician and a staffed Family Nurse Practitioner.

President and CEO Paule Anne Lewis is quoted in the TMC Pulse: “We’re honored to join the prestigious Texas Medical Center as its newest member institution. As the only multidisciplinary clinic in Houston that exclusively serves the uninsured and underserved, San José Clinic works to ensure that those who face economic and social challenges are not denied the right to quality healthcare. We are grateful that Dr. Robbins and the TMC leadership as a whole recognize the clinic’s contributions to, value for, and vital place within our healthcare system.”

San José Clinic 2615 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77002| Phone: 713-228-9411 | Fax: 713-228-6371We are a 501(c)(3), a United Way agency, and a ministry of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

Our Mission: To provide quality healthcare and education to those with limited access to such services in an environment which respects the dignity of each person.